Sports briefs

Friday

Mar 8, 2013 at 4:44 AMMar 8, 2013 at 4:44 AM

Bethel signs?softball player

Bethel College softball coach Stacy Middleton signed Kaylen Fike of Ada, Okla., to a letter of intent to play for the Threshers in the 2013-14 school year.?Fike plays for Byng High School, where she is a utility player. She was given the Byng Softball Leadership Award. The team was 16-7 last season.?Kaylen is a great addition to our campus; she will excel in the classroom and on the field, Middleton said. Her work ethic and desire to be the best will be an inspiration to our team. I look forward to having her at Bethel.? I'm really excited about what's in store for me the next few years, Fike said.?Fike selected Bethel over Bethany and Oklahoma Baptist.?Fike is a member of the FFA and the National Honor Society. She is on the honor roll.?She intends to major in secondary education at Bethel.

Bethel opens?season 0-3

SHAWNEE, Okla.  The Bethel College softball team opened its second season with three losses Saturday at the Oklahoma Baptist Invitational in Shawnee.?Bethel opened the season with a 4-0 loss to Hastings, followed by a 12-8 loss to Dordt and a 7-0 loss to host Oklahoma Baptist.?Against Hastings, Kelly Toll took the loss, allowing three earned runs on eight hits with three walks and a strikeout. Bethel was held to three hits.?Against Dordt, Bethel trailed 7-0 after two innings, but took an 8-7 lead after four innings. Dordt regained the lead with five runs in the bottom of the fifth inning.?Mary Sheridan was two for three hitting for Bethel with three RBIs. Sarah Cunningham and Lakin Thompson each drove in a run. Rachel Unruh took the loss. Chelsea Grandstaff closed the game.?Against Oklahoma Baptist, Bethel gave up a run in the first inning, three in the fifth inning and three in the sixth.?Kylee Gragg went two for four hitting for Bethel. Lakin Thompson took the loss, allowing four earned runs with 11 hits with a walk and three strikeouts.?Bethel opens play today at the Friends Invitational at the Two Rivers Youth Complex in Wichita. Bethel plays Mid-American Christian at 10 a.m., followed by Dakota State at 2 p.m. and Southwestern Christian at 4 p.m. Saturday, Bethel plays Nebraska Wesleyan at 8 a.m. and Rogers State at noon.

PARK CITY  The Wichita Wild indoor football team opens its first season of the Champions Professional Indoor Football League at 7:05 p.m. Saturday against the Oklahoma Defenders at the Tulsa Convention Center.?The Defenders are in their second season, finishing 9-3 in the American Professional Football League, losing in the first round of the playoffs.?Wichita was 8-6 in the Indoor Football League regular season last year, falling to Tri Cities in the Intense Conference championship game.?The Defenders are led by quarterback Rico Watkins, who hit 131 of 217 passes last season for 1,684 yards and 40 touchdowns. He added 406 yards rushing with 18 touchdowns. Defensive back Bobby Blackshire was an All-APFL pick last season with 98 tackles, eight interceptions and two touchdowns.?Wichita will be led by quarterback Rocky Hinds, a newcomer for the Wild. He spent last season with the Nebraska Danger and the previous two seasons with the Bloomington Extreme.